In an industry that’s becoming more DIY every day, the two-decade survival of a small record label is something to celebrate, especially when it caters to a niche market.

Jason Dunn founded Facedown Records, which focuses on Christian metal, rock and punk, in 1997. Three years later, the label began producing Facedown Fest as a way to give back to its fans. The event began with one night of music at the Showcase Theatre in Corona, but soon outgrew the venue and demand so it moved to The Glass House in Pomona and added a second show.

“Facedown Fest has always been very unique, and since 2000 we have been hosting it almost every year and we get all of the active bands on the label together to play it, as well as reunion shows from our alumni bands,” Dunn said. “It’s something that people look forward to, and we always try to make the lineups exciting for fans.”

Meet the band

Everything In Slow Motion is the solo project of Shane Ochsner (Hands’ vocalist and guitarist) and will take the stage May 12. The Kansas City, Missouri, artist got his start on drums before branching out to vocals and other instruments. He plays all the instruments on EISM’s albums and calls on his friends to fill out the band live.

“I started seriously writing music when I was 14 years old — that’s when I started exploring that creatively and dabbling in original music,” Ochsner said.

Ochsner worked from his influences, writing hard rock and metal songs first, but over the years his compositions have become more melodic and experimental. He credits his success partly to Facedown Records for its support throughout his career and his transitions musically, as well as from band member to solo artist.

“It’s always been about doing something honest and doing something real, and if it ever becomes anything but that, we would hang it up because what’s the point?” Ochsner said. “I think by taking that approach we have stood out to people in our sound and in our message with who we are as people. And taking what some might call musical risks, we never wanted to make the same record twice. If one record had success, then typically the next one should play off that. We never did that, we did what was on our minds. That has brought us success, and obviously being in the right place and the right time and developing relationships.”

Questioning faith

Ochsner admits that the “turn or burn Christian mentality” so prevalent in the Christian rock scene in the past pushed him to become more jaded and to question his faith. However, he also believes that God is using him to reach out to those who may be going through the same thing and provide them with encouragement and hope.

“As my life changes from 10 years ago, being a heavy Christian, really feeling like I’m called to do this, all the stuff you generally hear, and growing and moving into this — ‘I don’t know where I’m at, I don’t know how I see God or my faith’ — it’s always a story I want to tell, and as the story gets deeper and has more variables and gets more complicated, I think the challenging part is delivering that in a way that’s not discouraging to people, but hopeful,” Ochsner said.

Evolving Christian rock scene

Today, Ochsner sees the tide changing.

“I think the militant Christian thing is going away in the metal scene, where there was a solid five years that were way too intense. I feel like I see this trend of bands trying to flip into that gray area of ‘We’re not a Christian band, but we have a slight Christian message and we’re all Christians,’ like everyone is trying to remove themselves a little bit from that oldness,” Ochsner said.

Dunn also notes that the scene has been evolving.

“As far as specific changes to the Christian rock side of things, 20 years ago there was a healthy network of big festivals every summer that was pretty much the launching point for a lot of bands and labels back in the day, including ours, specifically Cornerstone Festival in Illinois,” Dunn said. “Over the years, and due to the recession, attendance dropped significantly at those festivals and they were forced to throw in the towel. Many of them felt very exploitative of people’s faith in order to make a buck, so it wasn’t a bad thing to see some of them go, but the scene was truly hit hard when Cornerstone Festival had to shut down.”

“Shows are important, but when you’re reuniting like this it’s so much more than the show,” Ochsner said. “The experiences are way beyond the show. Getting together and practicing and digging in again and reigniting that fire is such a wonderful experience. Then to play it and see the people reacting makes you remember, ‘Aww man, this why we did this.’ It’s exciting.”

Ochsner’s Hands has also reunited to play Facedown Fest on May 13. The band recently released a new 7-inch album but does not have plans for further recording or touring, Ochsner said.

Everything in Slow Motion is working on a new record to be released this summer or fall.

“Facedown Records is the best. I love that in a music industry where everything seems so shallow, they consistently are a label that is filled with amazing people who genuinely love putting out music and genuinely love giving people, whether it be bands or the fans, the opportunity to have an experience,” Ochsner said. “To be in the industry for 20 years with those guys, especially with now we’re in the digital age with streaming, for them to survive this long and be able to put on a three-day festival in Pomona it’s truly incredible. That’s what I’m most excited for and most proud of — that’s the headline.”

Michelle Mills has been an entertainment and features reporter for the Southern California News Group since 1999. She has interviewed such notables as Weird Al Yankovic, Glen Campbell, Alice Cooper, Debbie Allen, Ernest Borgnine (during an earthquake) and Adam Young (Owl City). She was the 31st Occasional Pasadena Doo Dah Parade Queen reigning 2007-2009. She is a professional belly dancer (swordwork is her specialty) and also studies Polynesian and Tahitian dance.